Double and coarse yarn catcher



Nov. 3, 1959 Filed Feb. 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 3, 1959 A. RANcoURT ETAI- DouBLE AND coARSE YARN CATCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1956 United States Patent O DOUBLE AND COARSE YARN CATCHER Alphonse Rancourt, Pittsfield, and Lawrence S. Bussiere,

Lanesboro, Mass.; said Bussiere assignor to said Rancourt Applicaton February 27, 1956, Serial No. 567,907

2 Claims. (Cl. 57-107) Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in spinning apparatus and is directed more particularly to mechanism for engaging the roving in a spinning opera tion.

The principal object of the invention is directed to the provision of mechanism adapted to be associated with a spinning frame to catch the roving, as it is being wound onto the bobbin, when the roving balloons outwardly as when it becomes heavier or coarser than is desired or when a break in the roving occurs.

In spinning, the roving leaves the card and passes through a thread guide and engages a traveler which rotates around a horizontal ring on a ring rail. A rotatable bobbin reciprocates axially and vertically relative to the ring. The vertical reciprocation of the bobbin relative to the rotating traveler fills up the bobbin so as to provide same with the desired form or shape of winding.

As the material is taken on by the bobbin, located on a spindle rail, which rail reciprocates up and down within and relative to the ring and traveler on a xed ring rail, the action is such that the windings on the bobbin may be of greater diameter at one point than at another point longitudinally thereof so that there may be diiferent diameters ofthe winding formed during the spinning operation.

The rotation of the bobbin and of the traveler cause the roving to balloon or loop outwardly away from the traveler. While the bobbin moves up and down relative to the ring and traveler, the sweep of the loop or ballooning formed by the roving going to the traveler may vary slightly. When, however, the roving becomes heavier or coarser whereby its sweep becomes greater, the roving balloons or extends outwardly from the winding on the bobbin a greater distance than normally.

According to this invention, means is provided for catching and breaking the roving when it becomes heavier or coarser than normal or for catching a broken roving. That is, the means functions to catch and/or break the material when the outward ballooning or looping reaches a predetermined amount as it does when the roving becomes heavier or coarser.

[n order to produce yarn having certain desired characteristics, the roving must have certain characteristics, but, when the roving becomes coarser, it is desired to break it so that it will not be wound on the bobbin. This is accomplished in a broad way by a novel hook means which normally is out of the path of the roving as same loops out and sweeps around in passing to the traveler but which is adapted, when the roving becomes coarser and assumes a greater loop and sweep, to catch and break the roving.

While the roving retains its normal characteristics, it is not caught by the hook means. When, however, the roving becomes coarser so as to balloon or loop outwardly a greater distance than normal, it is caught by the hook means and broken.

IIn a broad way, the novel mechanism of the invention is adapted to be associated with the horizontal elongated ring rails along opposite sides of the well known spinning frame where there are horizontal thread boards and spindle rails above and below the ring rails. The lower spindle rails move up and down to carry the spindles up and down vertically within the traveler rings.

According to the invention, the hook means are moved back and forth radially relative to the vertical axis of the rotating spindles and the mechanism may be operatively connected to a rotating shaft of the spinning frame and therefor movements of the hook means may be timed relative to movements of the spindle rail, In this way, the hook means, by moving back and forth, is at all times a rather definite distance from the windings on the bobbin in all vertical positions thereof so as to catch the roving when it balloons excessively as when broken so as to produce the so-called double end or as when a yarn which is more coarse than normal is caused to balloon outwardly beyond the normal ballooning.

When the roving becomes heavier or coarser, the sweep of the loop becomes greater. That is, the roving extends outwardly from the winding on the bobbin a greater distance regardless of the diameter of the winding onto which the yarn is being wound.

As the bobbin reciprocates up and down and while the roving is heavier or coarser, the loop at all diameters of the Winding extends outwardly a greater distance than normal.

According to this invention, means is provided for catching and breaking the roving when it becomes heavier or coarser than normal and the loop sweeps around at a greater radius. The means, broadly speaking, envisions a hook which is normally out of the path of the roving as it loops out and sweeps around in passing to the traveler but which is adapted, when the roving becomes coarser and assumes a greater loop and sweep, to catch and break the roving whereby the coarser roving will not be wound onto the bobbin.

While the roving retains its normal characteristics, it is not caught by the hook.

However when the roving becomes coarser so as to loop outwardly a greater distance than normal it is caught by the hook. By moving the hook means in an are towards and away from the vertical axis of the reciprocating bobbin in timed relation with the reciprocating movements of said bobbin, the hook means catches the roving at all diameters of the bobbin when it is running heavier than normal.

The rotating shaft of the spinning frame controls the vertical reciprocatory movements of the spindle rails and it also controls the reciprocatory movement of the rod means which drive a pair of oscillating; shafts as they sweep to and fro in their respective arcs. The hook means are carried by these shafts.

When the bobbin is at the lowermost and uppermost ends of its vertical stroke, the hook means is at one extremity of its arc nearest to the bobbin. When the bobbin is at the midpoint of its upward or downward stroke, the hook means is at the other extremity of its arc farthest away from the bobbin.

The roving loops outwardly and sweeps around the bobbin. The distance from the loop of the roving and the winding on the bobbin is substantially constant so that the roving is at a greater distance from the vertical axis of its bobbin when the winding of a relatively large diameter is being served than when the winding of a relatively small diameter is being served.

When the roving becomes coarser, the loop becomes relatively greater so that the distance between the winding and the loop is greater at all diameters of the winding.

The oscillating shafts swing in arcs as the bobbins move up and down so that the hooks are constantly at a predetermined distance from the winding of the bobbin.

This distance is normally such that the loops of roving in their circular sweep will pass in front of and distantly from the hooks.

However, when a roving becomes coarser, the loop becomes greater lso that it sweeps around the bobbin at ia greater distance from the axis of the bobbin, is caught by a hook, and is accordingly broken, and when a roving becomes broken the loop likewise becomes greater so that it is caught by the hook in the same manner.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of our invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying draw ings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the mechanism of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the operating components of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational View on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the adjustable connecting device of the mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the hook members of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the thread board and ring and spindle rails of a spinning frame.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the novel features of the invention will be fully described.

In Fig. l, a ringrail is represented by dash lines 2, there being such a rail along the front and rear sides of a spinning frame.

Bearings d are provided for securement to opposite ends of the ring rails along their inner longitudinal edge portions. There ma, of course, be as many intermediate bearings of similar design and function as desired.

Elongated shafts 6 are oscillatable in the bearings of each ring rail 2 and said shafts may be of tubular formation. The shafts 6 carry hook devices 8, one for each spindle and these will subsequently be described.

One of the shafts 6 is oscillated from a rotating shaft such as 12 of the spinning frame. To that end, a member 1h is internally threaded to receive the threaded end portion of a shaft 12 of a spinning frame, see Figs. l and and 2. The shaft 12 may carry a cam which actuates the spindle rail in its vertical reciprocating movements.

An inner member 14 is connected to the member L@ by means of a threaded stud 16 having a lock nut 18 thereon. A threaded stud 2.@ is in engagement with the member 2id and is on an axis eccentrically related to the axis of rotation of member 1.4.

A rod end Z2 is journalled on the stud 2t? and a conecting rod 7rd threadedly engages the upper end of said rod end Z2. A lock nut 26 in engagement with the rod 24 holds the rod end and rod in adjusted relation.

A collar 28 is held in position on the rod 2li by a set screw 3d. A device 32 is slightly loose on the rod 2d above the collar 28 and has a threaded stud 3d on its end which is swivelled in an ear 36 of a connector 3S.

A shaft hub 4t) is slidable in a groove 39 of the connector 38 which connector is provided with a slot /t-Z for a clamp bolt 44 (see Fig. 5). The members 33 and @it may be adjusted for length and the member 4t) will be secured to the shaft 6 by a set screw or the like.

The rod 24 has a manually engageable member d6 fixed thereto. By loosening the nut 26 of rod 24, said rod may be adjusted relative to member 22 andthen locked in adjusted position by said nut.

As the stud Ztl is rotated about the axis of member 14, the rod 24 .is moved up and down or back and forth and d the shaft 6 to which member 40 is secured is oscillated back and forth in an arc.

That is to say, as the inner member 14 rotates with the rotating shaft 12, the rod is moved back and forth relative to the longitudinal axis of the rotating shaft 12 and `.irough the linkage comprising collar 28, device 32 and Ithreaded stud 34 thereof, connector 3S and ear 36 thereof, and shaft hub d, the shaft 6 is oscillated accordingly.

Levers 4S have inner ends fixed to the shafts 6 and outer ends pivoted at 49 in outer ends of fork members 5b. Inner ends of the members 50 threadedly receive opposite threaded ends of a connecting rod 52 and lock nuts 54 jammed against the members 50 hold the rod 52 and members 50 in adjusted positions. Thus the shafts 6 are connected together for simultaneous oscillation.

The hook members 8 have lower U shape portions 56 in `which the shafts 6 are seated. Bolts 58 clamp the members to said shafts in the angular positions desired. Verticat portions 60 of the hook members 8 carry ledges 62 to which are adjustably secured by bolts 64 and slots 66 hook members 6% for engaging rovings.

In Fig. 7, the ring and spindle rails are indicated by 2 and 7@ and the upper thread rail is indicated by 72. The ring is represented by 74 and the traveler rotatable therearound by 76. A partly wound bobbin is represented by 78 and the roving thereonto is shown at 80.

As the spindle rail 70 moves up and down so that the rotating bobbin moves up and down through the ring 74, the roving from a supply thereof balloons outwardly prior to winding on the bobbin. Simultaneously with up and down movements of the spindle rail 70 in the directions of the arrow a, its related shaft 6 is oscillated to swing the members S back and forth in an arc as indicated by arrow b.

The outer ends 63 of the members 8 are disposed to catch and break the roving should it balloon outwardly to or beyond a certain predetermined degree due to its weight.

The several means for adjusting the mechanism components make it possible to operate the mechanism under numerous and varying conditions to prevent roving which becomes coarse or heavy when being wound on the bobbins.

The adjustments provided make is possible to locate the arc of movement of the hook devices as may be desired so as to bring them to the desired positions at the limit of their movement in the direction of the bobbins. Thereby they function efficiently to catch and break rovings as they balloon beyond a predetermined amount.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is it desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a spinning machine having a lixed horizontallydisposed upper thread rail and a vertically-traversing horizontally-disposed lower spindle rail and a horizontallydisposed intermediate ring rail with a row of longitudinally-spaced bobbins on the spindle rail and being individually rotated by a drive shaft on parallel vertically disposed axes and a traveler-carrying ring carried by the ring rail and encircling each of the bobbins and a traveler on each ring for guiding a roving in the form of a ballon, the combination therewith of apparatusv for engaging certain rovings being wound on the bobbins comprising bearing members fixed to the ring rail, an elongated oscillating shaft disposed above and parallel to the ring' rail and .being `oscillatable in said bearings relative to `the ring rail on a horizontal -axis and in a plane transverse to the vertical axes of the bobbins, an elongated rod means eccentrically and adjustably connected at its lower end to the drive shaft for reciprocating movements according to the rotation of the drive shaft, elongated connecting means adjustably pivoted at one extremity to the upper end of said rod means and fixed at its opposite extremity to said oscillating shaft for effecting the oscillation of said oscillating shaft in an arc in response to the reciprocating movements of said rod means, a plurality of roving catching hood devices spaced along and adjustably secured to said oscillating shaft in alignment with the bobbins of the spindle rail and each having a vertically-extending radially-disposed stem with an adjustable hook extending outwardly from the upper end of the stern and being movable in a path forwardly toward and rearwardly away for the axis of rotation of its related bobbin and the balloon of the roving thereof in response to` the oscillation of said oscillating shaft, each of the hook devices of said plurality thereof being positioned adjacent the normal maximum balloon of the roving of its related bobbin and substantially in a horizontal plane spaced vertically above the plane of the ring rail, the hook of each of the hook devices of said plurality thereof haw'ng a laterally-projecting end portion effective for engaging a roving engaging therein on the excessive ballooning thereof resulting from an excessively thick or broken roving, said oscillating shaft being oscillated responsively according tothe vertical position of the bobbins on the spindle rail for determining the position of the hook devices of said plurality thereof relative to the related balloons.

2. In a spinning machine having a pair of xed transversely-spaced horizontally-disposed upper thread rails and a pair of vertically-traversing transversely-spaced horizontally-disposed lower spindle rails and a pair of xed transversely-spaced horizontally-disposed intermediate ring rails with a row of longitudinally-spaced bobbins on each of the spindle rails and being individually rotated on parallel vertically-disposed axes by a drive shaft and a traveler-carrying ring carried by the ring rail and encircling each of the bobbins and a traveler on each ring for guiding a roving in the form of a balloon, the combination therewith of apparatus for engaging certain rovings being wound on the bobbins comprising, bearing members xed to each of the ring rails, an elongated oscillating shaft disposed above and parallel to each of the ring rails and being oscillatable in the respective of said bearings relative to the respective ring rail on-a horizontal axis and in a plane transverse to the vertical axes of the bobbins, an elongated rod means eccentrically and adjustably connected at its lower end to the drive shaft for reciprocating movements according to the rotation of the drive shaft, elongated connecting means adjustably pivoted at one extremity to the upper end of said rod means and fixed at its opposite extremity to one of the oscillating shafts for the oscillation of said one oscillating shaft according to the reciprocating movements of said rod means, connecting means between the said one oscillating shaft and the other of .said oscillating shafts for oscillating the said one oscillating and the said other oscillating shafts in unison, a plurality of roving catching hook devices spaced along and adjustably secured to each of said oscillating shafts in alignment with the bobbins of the respective spindle rail and each having a vertically-extending radially-disposed stem with an adjustable hook extending outwardly from the upper end of the stem and being movable in a path forwardly toward and rearwardly away from the axis of rotation of its related bobbin and the ballon of the roving thereof in response to the oscillation of the respective of said oscillating shafts, each of the hook devices of said plurality thereof being positioned `adjacent the normal ballon 0f the roving of its related bobbin and substantially in a horizontal plane spaced vertically above the plane of the respective ring rail, the hook of each of the hook devices of said plurality thereof having a laterally-projecting end portion effective for engaging a roving engaging therein on the excessive ballooning thereof resulting from an excessively thick or broken roving, said oscillating shafts being oscillated responsively according to theV vertical position of the bobbins on the spindle rail for determining the position'of the hook devices of said plurality thereof relative to the related ballons.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,428,064 Bussiere Sept. 30, 1947 2,435,667 Worth Feb. 10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 705,366 France Mar. 9, 1931 

